Continuity
by Of Naught
Summary: Continuity picks up where Hanako's good end left off. It follows the general timeline of the later part of Lilly's route, but with altered events due to the romantic relationship between Hisao and Hanako.
1. Chapter 1

**[A/N]: Hello fellow readers and authors. This is my first Katawa Shoujo Fan Fic, so bear with me.**

**This is just a little idea I had when replaying Hanako's route. The ending to the route was very satisfying but I realized, really, that was just the beginning. Assuming Hanako and Lilly's routes follow the same general continuity, there are still many things that have yet to play out. This is my interpretation of those events. If you've played Lilly's route, then you can probably guess what's going to happen, albeit with an alternate timeline.**

**Line breaks indicate that passing of time thing, not where it shows the heart, but when the screen fades to black then the next image while a ticking of a clock sounds. You know what I am talking about.**

**DISCLAIMER (really it's useless, but…): Katawa Shoujo and everything associated with it © Four Leaf Studios. I own none of it.**

**I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

**X**

* * *

"Argh."

I groan as I shift in my bed; the prospect of going to school today does not sound good. The lingering feeling of soft warmth on my lips reminds me of why I feel utterly exhausted. The reason for my exhaustion, however, is something I cannot complain about. In fact, it was one of the best things that has happened to me yet.

Our confrontation at the park yesterday was very emotionally taxing, but well worth it. Hanako and I, in shared grief and happiness, finally began to break the walls between us. We don't fully understand each other, but this is just the beginning. We are still learning about each other and ourselves, and still overcoming the obstacles in our lives. But this is what love is, right?

I groggily open my eyes and the light bleeding through the shades of my room reminds me of the day that I have ahead of me. Having briefly reflected about Hanako's and my relationship, school no longer seems like such a bad idea. The thought of seeing her is enough to energize me a little.

Rubbing my eyes of sleep, I begin my daily routine of getting ready for school.

* * *

I breathe a sigh of relief that I did not encounter Kenji as I step out of the boy's dorm. I'm just not in the mood to listen to his ramblings right now.

As I step inside the classroom building, I catch sight of Hanako a little bit ahead of me and my heart skips a beat. Figuratively of course, since my heart skipping a beat is a real danger for me. Just looking at her is enough for me to smile. I call out to her.

"Hey, Hanako!"

Hanako stops and turns to me. A dainty smile appears on her face. "Good morning, Hisao." We continue on our way to class when I catch up with her on her left. "How did you sleep?" she asks.

"I slept like a rock. Yesterday's events were pretty tiring all things considered."

"T-they were."

"How about you?"

"Like a rock," Hanako echoes me. I'm taken by surprise when something lightly grabs me hand but as I look down at it, I find Hanako has taken mine in hers. She gives me such a warm smile that I can't help but return the gesture and I interlock my fingers with hers. It… I'm not used to this kind of casual, intimate contact; however it would be a lie if I said it didn't feel nice. "We have a holiday coming up this weekend." Oh right, we do have a holiday. I had completely forgotten about that. "D-do you have any plans?"

"Actually, you just reminded me we have a holiday to be honest." I pause to think for a moment. I never made any plans this weekend to begin with and now another free day just opened up. "I have no plans to speak of. Why do you ask?"

"I was… just wondering." Something tells me there's more than that, but I let it slide. A brief silence befalls us before Hanako speaks up again. "I hope Lilly returns before the weekend."

"Yeah. Although I'm sure she'll want to return right as the weekend starts and miss the boring old school days, right?" Hanako giggles at my joke.

We reach the classroom and enter together, still holding hands. Just after we do so, I am hit with a sense of déjà vu as I realize this may have been a repeat, albeit on better terms, of yesterday's mistake. Not only does Shizune raise her eyebrow and give us a smirk, but everyone else in the class also has their eyes fixed on both of us. Misha is some how containing herself, but just barely. My gaze meets Miki's, who is smiling from ear to ear and giving us a thumbs up with her right hand.

Hanako grips my hand tightly and freezes, ruing the attention she is receiving. Still, she moves forward after a few seconds and she relaxes her grip on my hand a bit. We reach the center aisle and look to each other. "S-see you," Hanako says.

"Okay." We give each other a wave as we part and sit at our desks. I take one last glance back towards Hanako and she gives me a warm smile, which I return in kind. Considering how much current events are playing out like yesterday's, Mutou will probably be walking in, in 3…

2…

1…

… And some one taps me on the shoulder. Aw crap, that's Shizune isn't it? I slowly turn my head, expecting the worst, and am greeted with my expectation.

"Hi Shizune," I say, trying to be casual. She has a good poker face right now.

"So~" Misha's sing song voice and Shizune's signing makes me tense up a bit. Please don't ask what I think you're about to. "What happened between you and Hanako~?" I let out a disappointed groan. "Just yesterday you two wouldn't look at each other and now you're holding hands."

I give a dramatic sigh. "Listen," I quietly say to appease them, "Hanako and I just had a little, er, conflict two days ago which explains yesterday and we later made up, which explains today. Okay?"

"Made up?" Molly, the girl in front of me, whispers as she turns to us. "I was there, and it was more like made _out_." I can feel the blood rush to my cheeks. She gives us a wink and playful smile before turning forward again. Dang it Molly!

"Ooh, Hicchan~!" Shizune has not signed anything so I can only assume this is just Misha talking.

"Can we speak later?" I ask a bit sheepishly. "Please?"

Shizune begins to sign again. "But Shicchan… okay. Shicchan says that you're off the hook for now, but she demands you hang out with us later."

"Alright, fine."

As if to punctuate the end of our conversation, Mutou walks into the classroom and immediately begins his lecture.

* * *

The bell rings and before I can even start to pack up my things, I am flanked by Shizune and Misha. "Right now?"

"Right now!"

I give a sigh as I prepare to be led off by the Student Council. As soon as I stand, we're headed for the door. Hanako gives me a worried look. The most I can do is give her a weary smile and a shrug before I'm out of the classroom.

We're about ten steps on our journey when the first question comes my way. "Did you really make out with Hanako?"

Since when did these two become so interested in my social life? Anyways, remembering the events of yesterday, Molly _was _there to see Hanako and I kiss so there's no denying it. "Yeah, I did, but please don't go around telling people."

"Don't worry, Hicchan. We're very trustworthy."

Thinking of Molly, why was she at town during that time anyways? Oh well, I'll have to ask her some other time.

"So~!" Misha translates for Shizune. "You and Hanako are a couple now I take it?"

I nod. "Yes."

"I see." With that, Shizune stops signing and silence follows.

"Where are we going?" I ask after a moment.

"The Student Council Room!" Misha replies with much enthusiasm.

"So is that the new interrogation room?" I joke.

Shizune, with a completely serious face, nods. That… scares me a little. She signs something to Misha.

Something that scares me more is the way Misha speaks. "Some times, information must be… _extracted_… from certain people." Unlike her usually bubbly and loud way of speaking, her voice is solemn.

I and look back and forth between them, expecting at least Misha to smile to betray that this is a joke. However, both are looking forward and their faces are impassive.

There's no way they're serious… right? "Um… guys?" I say nervously.

"Wahahaha~!" Misha bursts into her trademark laughter and a smile spreads on Shizune's face. I let out a breath of relief. "You should've seen the look on your face Hisao! We got you good!"

I sigh: amusement at my expense. I don't mind it, but considering with whom I am dealing with, I don't want to take it lying down. "You know, considering I have been subject to both of your _subversive_ actions in the past, I wouldn't put it beyond you two to resort to other such unscrupulous tactics."

"Some times one must dirty their hands for the greater good!" Misha, or rather Shizune retorts.

Greater good, huh? Thinking back on the two's thinly veiled attempts to rope me into the Student Council, I think I realize why they kept at it for a while.

I was so sullen and bitter about my life being flipped upside down because of my heart attack and then being sent to a school for the disabled that it was probably unavoidable that my expressions and mannerisms would reflect my feelings. Shizune and Misha must have seen my face and decided I needed some cheering up. And it worked too I suppose; they helped me take the first steps out of the hole I dug myself into.

I should thank them some time.

"So what kind of conflict did you and Hanako get into?" I can't tell who asked that question. "Or are we overstepping our boundaries?" Probably Shizune.

I'd rather not let it be known we had… _gotten intimate_ with each other. "The latter."

"Okay! I suppose the story of your making _out~!_ Is also in the same category?"

"All I'll say is that we both took big steps forward in our lives."

The three of us reach the room and Shizune closes the door behind us. I guess I'm not leaving until they let me go.

"Would you like to play a game of chess?" That was definitely Shizune who asked that.

"Sure." It's a welcome prospect of playing a person other than Hanako at chess. It's an interesting choice of a game though.

Shizune brings out the familiar looking black and white board and pieces and we begin to set up. I'm black, she's white. As Shizune makes the first move, she begins to sign.

"Have you played with Hanako?"

The question catches me off guard. "Uh, yeah. How did you know she plays?"

"We, Shicchan that is, had played a game a while back. Hanako was not bad at all and it was obvious she had played before, but just didn't have the mindset to beat me. You should ask Hanako for details."

"I see. I'm not so sure you can beat her now though. We've both pushed each other to improve our game and she's pretty serious about it now. She has the majority of the wins between us under her belt."

"This should be interesting then~!"

"Especially since I'm determined to win." I am rewarded with a dangerous competitive glint from Shizune's eye. Game on.

The beginning of the game starts out rather ordinarily, but I suddenly find myself on the back foot. Shizune's very aggressive moves catch me off guard and she develops more of her pieces much faster than me. As I attempt to recover, her queen suddenly tears a hole in my defenses. I scramble to stop the onslaught when I see a devious few moves that could turn the tide. I manage to force her queen back on the defensive and I press onwards with my counter attack. In a few more turns, we end up in a stalemate.

"Not bad, Hicchan. You managed to recover from your less than stellar start and beat me back. I won't take it easy on you next game."

I give her a competitive smile. "Good, now _I _won't have to hold back." Shizune's glint is intensified.

Having gotten a good gauge of each other's play style and skill, things are far more even. The pieces on the board dwindle until it comes down to a tense game where even a loss of a pawn is huge. Just as it looks like I am about to win, Shizune manages to force a stalemate.

Shizune vehemently signs something, and the same emotion is lost when Misha translates it in her bubbly voice. "Again~!"

The next game is pretty much a repeat of the last game but with different moves. Shizune is staring at the chessboard, utterly perplexed at how we had managed to stalemate three times. Her expression is rather comically cute.

"It cannot end like this!" Misha declares dramatically for Shizune. "We are going to play for the victory."

"Play what?"

"The oldest game known to man, upon which the fate of nations has been known to rest: Rock, Paper, Scissors."

What. "Er, okay." I give a shrug and we prepare settle this once and for all.

"Rock," Shizune starts. "Paper. Scissors!"

We reveal our weapon of choice at the same time; we're both rocks.

"Rock, paper, scissors!" We're both rocks again.

"Rock paper scissors!" Now we're both scissors.

Shizune's face is priceless at this point, having no clue as to how neither of us have managed to win at this point, and I barely manage to suppress my laughter. Misha on the other hand has already caught a fit of the giggles. "How about we call it even?"

Shizune frowns at my suggestion. Nevertheless, Misha's translation of her signing is, "Very well~! You are a worthy opponent."

"It was an honor." I take a look at the time and that reminds me the library is closing soon. I still have to return some books. "Hey, I have to go return some books to the library."

"Okay~!"

"I'll be seeing you guys later."

"Yep! And Shizune says thank you for hanging out with us."

"Hey, it was my pleasure." I help clear the chessboard and gather my things. "I kind of forgot how fun you guys could be to hang around." When I reach the door, I decide to jokingly add, "When you're not trying to coerce me into joining the Student Council." Misha sticks her tongue out at me and I just smile back. "See ya."

* * *

As gently as I can, I return my books lest I startle Yuuko in the case she's under the counter. Fortunately, there's no reaction.

I take a look around the library from where I stand for no particular reason. It seems like so long ago since I first stepped in here with Lilly. Ah, the nostalgia. Thinking of Lilly, I realize that I myself at least haven't been doing a very good job of keeping in touch with her. I should give her a call tonight.

I turn and begin to head out the door when I hear a familiar voice call my name. "Hisao!" Turning back around, I am greeted by the sight of Hanako, a book in her left hand, giving me a small wave with her right as she catches up to me.

"Hey, Hanako." I'm taken by less surprise this time when she takes hold of my arm in her own, and we head out of the library. "How's it going?"

"It's fine."

"I just had a thought about Lilly, and I realize I haven't really kept in touch with her very well." I only called her once, and that was only to ask for help from Hanako. She must be feeling a bit dejected.

Hanako's eyes widen in realization. "Y-you're right," she says regretfully. "I haven't called her as much as I had wanted. Exams…"

"Yeah," I agree, nodding. "Exams sure are a pain. But yeah, we should call her then."

"Okay."

"I need to get my cell phone from my room."

"Is it okay if I can come with you?"

"Sure. It's actually probably good that you do since you haven't even seen my room yet." Not that it's much different than Hanako's own rather bare room though. It's a good thing I keep it clean. Relatively.

"So, what… what did the Student Council want from you?" There's a hint of worry in her voice. I guess it did feel link I was a dangerous criminal being led off to his cell.

"They just wanted to hang out with me. They've been wanting to for a while."

"It's nice that you're on… good terms with them."

I nod. "Well, they do sit next to me and some one has to be the moderator between those two and Lilly, right?" I joke.

Hanako gives a small smile. "Y-yeah."

"I even played chess with Shizune. Three times in fact."

"Rreally?" Hanako looks at me, a curiosity in her eyes. "Who won?"

I can only shrug. "Neither of us I guess. We stalemated all three times."

Hanako, not really knowing what to say about the odd outcome, manages, "I-impressive?"

I let out a brief chuckle. "It gets better. She then decided to settle things with Rock-Paper-Scissors, but then we gave up when we tied at that three times."

"I guess you guys are very evenly matched then."

"So it would seem. That reminds me, I heard you and Shizune played chess before."

"Oh! Um… yes… before." Hanako stares ahead. For a few moments a silence envelops us, then Hanako speaks. "The… first game was close, but saw an opening and she won. The second game was speed chess and I was, uh, nothing short of demolished."

"Well now, I'm sure you've improved quite a bit by now. You can beat me most of the time, and since Shizune and I are evenly matched, you should be able to triumph over her."

"A rematch… . That would be nice." As I look at Hanako, for a brief moment, a competitive glint not unlike Shizune's own appears in her eye. "A-and next time, I'll be victorious."

We walk in a peaceful silence the rest of the way to the boy's dorms. I do hope nobody gets the wrong idea about us entering the dorms together. I hope even more we don't run into Kenji right now. He'll probably explode if he finds me bringing a girl, and my _girlfriend_ at that, to my room.

Girlfriend…

That reminds me, Lilly doesn't know we've started a romantic relationship. "Hanako?"

"Yes?"

"Lilly doesn't know we've, er, had a relationship upgrade."

"Hmm…" Hanako ponders this. "No, but we shouldn't tell her. O-over the phone that is. She'll want to know all about it, but I don't want to leave you with a terribly large phone bill."

Oh right, international phone calls are money vacuums.

"We should tell her when she gets back," Hanako continues. "It'll be a surprise."

I give her a nod. "Okay then."

We pass Kenji's door with no contact from him and we enter my room. After Hanako enters, I shut the door. She takes a good look at my room, as if trying to take in every detail. I there's not much to see, since everything in here is completely utilitarian. In fact, it's even barer than Hanako's room considering she has two dolls and a chess set. It depresses me a little.

Bah, I shouldn't be thinking about things like that right now.

Hanako's eyes widen as they fall upon my collection of pills that I have to take every day. I had forgotten about those. "Those are…" Hanako begins.

I give Hanako a nod. "My pills. I have no idea what kind of chemistry goes on with everything inside them, but they keep me alive."

"I-I didn't know. It… it must be hard having to…"

"It's not so bad." I say, putting a hand on Hanako's shoulder to reassure her "I only have to take enough pills to last a normal person a life time daily," I joke. Hanako manages to smile weakly, but she still seems a bit put off.

I find my phone amongst my school stuff I did not need to take with me and sit on the bed. I motion for Hanako to join me. She takes a seat next to me and we hold hands, interlocking fingers. "Ready?"

"Yes."

I scroll down my list of contacts until I find Lilly's Scotland home number. I press call and put it on speaker. When the phone finally picks up, I easily recognize the voice on the other end.

"~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ Satou ~~~~~~?"

"Hello, Mrs. Satou. May… I, uh we… speak…"

Damn. I can't believe I've forgotten how the rest of it's supposed to go. It's disheartening failing to memorize such a small amount of words, even if I didn't spend too much time memorizing them.

"May we speak with Lilly, please?" Hanako saves the day. She gives me a smile, which I return in kind. Well, I guess both of the girls are better at English than me. At least I'm still better at it than Emi…

"Oh! What a surprise! Hello Hanako, Hisao. Hisao, are you teaching yourself English?"

"A little. I'm not good at languages in general."

"Oh don't say that! Your pronunciation was good! And Hanako, you've improved! I'll get Lilly for you two, just wait a moment." The other side of the line goes silent.

"Hey, Hanako, I didn't know you were so good at English," I compliment.

"I-it's not _that _good," she replies modestly.

Eventually, a much more awake sounding Lilly than last time answers, the time over there being past noon by now.

"Hisao, Hanako, are you both there?"

"Hi Lilly!" Hanako greets excitedly.

"Hey! We're here," I say.

"Good afternoon you two. Sorry for taking so long. I was outside in the garden."

"Gardening?"

Hanako shakes her head. "She just likes to smell the flowers."

"Yes, unfortunately I've found that I am no good at it. I think my fingers appreciate it more. I take it you're both doing well?"

Hanako and I look at each other. Lilly could only guess _how _well. "Yeah, very well."

"Thank you, Lilly," Hanako says, "for helping us."

"Oh?"

Lilly is probably trying to make sure she knows what Hanako is talking about, lest she accidentally reveal our conversation about her. Hanako and I had chatted for a good amount of time after our confession, and one of the things that came up was that conversation.

"She knows we talked," I say.

"Oh! Hanako I'm sorry that—"

Hanako cuts her off, "You only meant the best for us."

"I… I don't think I was really that much help. The main thing is that you're both better though."

"True. So how's life over there? It sounds like you're living in nothing short of mansion."

"I wouldn't call it a _mansion_…"

_But it is rather large_, is obviously what she wants to say, though modesty stops her. I can say I'm a bit jealous, but it is Lilly's holiday after all.

"It's a nice house to stay in though. There's a beach near here too, which Akira is especially fond of."

"She's a swimmer, right?" Hanako asks.

"Yes. She likes to drag me out there to have swimming competitions. Which she wins. Every time."

Lilly never struck me as very athletic, so it seems logical she wouldn't be adept at swimming. The fastest I've seen her move is her understandably relaxed pace during our walks to and from the suburbs down the hill from school. It's hard to imagine her swimming.

"The beaches must… be nice there." I almost said _look_. "They'd probably be a lot less crowded than the ones around here.

"Indeed. Akira says the area around here looks beautiful, being so far removed from the city. That said, the local accent sometimes makes communication a bit hard. It's a constant reminder that this isn't home."

I guess it makes sense that she doesn't consider her parents' residence to be her home. It does make me realize, though, that I can also say the same thing for me. I have spent a lot of time in this small room and have made friends who are very dear to me, so I had come to accept the dormitory as my new home rather quickly.

"It must be hard… being away from home," Hanako says rather solemnly.

"It's not at all bad though," Lilly replies reassuringly. I can just imagine her waving her hand dismissively if she were here in person. "It's nice to see my relatives again."

"That's good."

"So how's you're English holding up?" I ask.

"Thankfully, it's going quite well. I may be fluent, but being in a position where I have to use it often helps in curbing my Japanese accent, so it's been useful practice. I hear, Hisao, that you are teaching yourself English?"

"More like memorizing a few lines. Or rather, _failing _at memorizing a few lines. I'm really not cut out for learning languages." My admission of defeat draws an amused giggle.

"I believe there are some things one chooses to do in life, and others that are chosen for one to do in life. You can at least take solace knowing you are better than me at science and math, at least."

"He's Mutou's star student," Hanako informs her. "Even Shizune can't compare."

"I don't think I'm _that _good. And besides, that's about all math and science helped me to be."

"I wouldn't worry about that. They're useful for many jobs, right?"

"Almost all jobs require at least some knowledge of math," Hanako adds.

"That's exactly what he tells me. Perhaps I will go into a career involving either."

"Saying that Mutou would be happy," Hanako replies, "if you tell him about that, would… be an understatement."

This conversation… . It reminds me of our simple small talk that we've all been missing since she left. With out her, it feels as if there's a great piece of our lives missing.

"We miss you." Coincidentally, both Hanako and I say that at the same time, causing us to glance at each other. I guess we both feel the same way.

"I miss you both too. Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Lilly."

"Goodbye, Lilly," Hanako echoes.

Once again the phone is hung up; simply and without further ado. I flip my phone closed.

"It was nice," Hanako speaks again, "talking to Lilly again."

"Indeed. I just can't wait to talk to her in person again."

"Yeah."

I take the brief moment of silence that follows to put my phone onto my desk. When I turn back to Hanako, her eyes are still on the desk. I follow her gaze back to the letter from Iwanako and the yet-to-be-started letter back. Forgot about that too.

"I hate to admit it, but I haven't even started on the letter back to Iwanako."

Hanako is snapped out of her staring and looks back at me. "Can't think of anything to write?"

"Well, not at first. Now that I think about it, however, I know exactly what to write."

"I… I think I should leave you to it then."

I open my mouth to protest but stop myself. It's probably for the best, so I don't forget and since I have a good window of free time to do it. "Okay. Thank you. Good night, Hanako."

"Good night." As she exits my room, she gives me one last smile before closing my door.

I take a deep breath before plopping myself in the chair to my desk. I rummage through some supplies until I find a black pen and begin writing.

_Dear Iwanako…_

* * *

**X**

* * *

**[A/N]: I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of Continuity.**

**Now, since I'm always paranoid about my works' quality…**

**How was my writing? I have a good grasp on the characters of Katawa Shoujo, but writing for them is something else. I'm not sure how good I am at emulating the characters. Dialogue is interesting because in text there are no cues as to who is speaking unless pointed out. Should I make the format of the story more like that of the visual novel (kind of like a script) or keep it as prose would be (which it is right now)? Any feedback on my writing and any style suggestions are very appreciated.**

**Suggestions for ideas for later events are welcome too, since I'm kind of writing this on impulse. And please correct me if any inconsistencies arise, or if anything doesn't make sense.**

**Also, sorry in advance for not updating in a timely fashion. Between writing for (soon to be) two original stories on Fiction Press (shameless plug), video games, summer homework (bleh), sports, laziness (procrastination makes perfect), etc. I probably won't have much time to work on this. But you never know. I'm in a KS phase right now.**


	2. Chapter 2

**[A/N]:**

**This particular chapter will rather closely resemble its original scene. My creative juices have evaporated so my submitting this chapter now is to help prevent a huge void in updates. When my creative juices have liquefied again and I'm done with the next chapter, I'll fix this one up and add more details.**

**Enjoy the second chapter of _Continuity_!**

* * *

**X**

* * *

I sit listening to another one of Mutou's long-winded lectures, my mind wandering far from the scribbles of the dirty blackboard.

It's only been a month and a half since I arrived here, yet this school has become a second home. I've gained new friends and contacts, became accustomed to the school's lifestyle and culture, and gotten familiar with the quirks of my classmates.

To become used to a school where disabilities are the norm rather than the rare exception still catches me off guard sometimes when I think on it. The same school populated by burn victims, the blind, the deaf, amputees, and all disabilities in between.

If someone described the school to me before my coming here, I would have waved it off as an over active imagination. Even when I first arrived I felt like the Dutch, coming to this strange new land.

It's amazing how quickly one becomes used to the environment they are forced to live in, really. Not that there's anything bad with my being forced to live here. In the short time I've been at Yamaku, I've come to terms with my condition and widened my worldview. I've matured and met amazing people. And best of all, I've even found love.

What a strange life.

Before my mind can wander further, I find a page of binder paper slipped under my distracted face. The garish, bright pink ink has no doubt been penned by Misha.

_Don't look so bored, Hicchan! School's nearly over! Three-day Holiday!_

I certainly can't complain about getting Saturday and Monday off I suppose. I uncap my pen and scribble on the page before covertly passing it back to her, flicking my eyes to the front of the class every now and then. Mutou seems immersed in his scrawling of arcane equations and formulas on the board.

**I'm guessing you have something planned?**

_Student Council work with Shicchan, of Course._

**Surely you're not still brooding over that?**

_But Hicchan could have helped us poor, lonely girls._

**I'd lend you a hand today if I weren't so busy.**

_Ooh, naughty naughty Hicchan!_

**I'm just going to meet Lilly with Hanako. I don't know what you've got going through your head.**

Probably imagining me with Hanako. _Definitely_ imagining me with Hanako.

_So Lilly's back?_

**Almost, she's coming in on an evening flight with her sister so she'll be back in school next week.**

As she takes the paper back and begins to write, an unwelcome sight greets my eyes. Mutou confidently strides through the gap between the desks from the front of the class, his intent gaze focused directly on her. I frantically try to silently catch her attention but to no avail. She suddenly stops writing as his tall figure casts an impossibly long shadow over the page.

"Ah… I…" Misha stammers.

Mutou silently takes the piece of paper and begins to read. Sweating bullets, I quickly glance around the room, noting everyone's complete silence. Hanako stares at me with a look of both worry and intrigue while Shizune stares at both of us, her face impassive as ever.

After a scant few seconds examining the page, he rolls the paper up into a tube and lightly bobs Misha over the head with it. "Half an hour until you can hop off to the student council. I think you can hold off until then."

Misha's face cracks as the entire class erupts into laughter. Mutou might be awkward, but he knows how to handle Misha excellently. I'd probably feel sorry for her if I weren't trying my hardest not to laugh. Mutou obviously saw my own writing on the piece of paper, so I'm not out of the clear. He turns and walks back to the blackboard, crushing the note into a little ball before throwing it into the trash bin.

It's only when he continues to lecture that I breathe a sigh of relief. I look back to Misha with a sympathetic expression n my face. However, she seems to be imitating Hanako, hiding her face with a hand while trying to make herself as inconspicuous as possible.

* * *

"Hisao, is it that one?" Hanako asks.

"No," I reply, shaking my head, "I think that's some foreign airline." And so the third airplane they're not on lands. For the past half an hour, we've been passing the time with pointless chatter and verbal games, our minds very much on Lilly. Despite confessing our feelings for each other, things haven't changed very much between Hanako and I. I mean things _have _changed and drastically too, but the casual, everyday interactions are much the same. I do suppose it's for the best, though. It feels nice to settle down and find our bearings after our great leap forward in life. One step at a time, there's no need to rush things.

An offhand glance at my watch redirects my thoughts. Lilly and Akira's flight has been delayed, and at this rate it'll probably be dark before the plane arrives.

* * *

"Is it that one?" Hanako's voice had gradually deflated from its excited and anxious state.

"No, the company colors are wrong." My own voice is much like her's as well. Our initial hype about meeting Lilly again had long fizzled out, leaving us rather dispirited. Still, with Lilly on our minds we can't focus on small talk before we revert back to watching incoming planes.

Hanako's eyes glance every once in a while towards the huge glass doors of the airport as people trickle in and out. I remember when Hanako would shrink away just from there being people around her. Now she seems comfortable about being around crowds, so long as no one pays too much attention to her. This is just the case now, as the people's attentions are focused on apparently greater things.

* * *

As another jet soars into the airport, Hanako asks again, "Maybe… that one's it?" There's a hint of concern in her voice, and I can't blame her. Between the delay, sixteen hour long flight, and jet lag it'd be hard to imagine Lilly would be feeling too well. At least she's the type to take these kinds of inconveniences in stride

"No, that's some other… hold on, that might be the one after all."

Hanako's eyes immediately light up.

* * *

It still takes some time before the billboard changes their flight's status to "disembarking." Regardless, Hanako and I are on the verge of shaking from newfound excitement and anxiety. I think the only thing keeping us from doing so is the firm grip we have on each other's hands. Nothing like expecting to wait thirty minutes at most to reunite with a close friend but really wait for hours, right?

"Hisao," Hanako catches my attention, "over there!" I look to her beaming face and follow her gaze to the airport door.

"Hmm?" I can just hear Akira over the din of the other people here. "Oh, Lilly, they're here!"

"Really?"

We all call out to each other in greeting, quickly shuffling over to the side to avoid blocking the passage of others. I personally hate when people just have to congregate and stay in the middle of walkways.

"Lilly!" Hanako releases my hand and jumps forward, embracing Lilly in a warm hug. A wide smile is all that's needed to see her happiness at Lilly's return.

Lilly simply smiles in return and speaks in a soft voice. "It's wonderful to meet you again, Hanako."

While the two give each other a well-deserved hug, I turn to Akira.

"Yo," she greets.

"Hey, Akira," I return. "Your flight's arrival was pretty late."

Akira's upbeat expression turns into a frown. "Yeah, there was a pretty bad storm over the airport. We got drenched just going from the car to the door."

"I guess you'll appreciate the weather here more, then." Akira's frown reverts back to into a smile at my joke. "Welcome back to you too, Lilly." Hanako breaks off from Lilly as I speak.

"Thank you Hisao," she replies, giving me a warm smile. "It's nice to be back."

"Are you okay?" Hanako asks Lilly. "You look tired."

Not convincing anyone very much, she waves her hand in front of her face to try and stave off any worry we have. "I'm okay, really. It's just a bit of jet lag."

"Weak." Akira's face lights up as says the word.

"You don't have any?" I ask.

She simply puffs out her modest chest and gives a big grin. "I feel absolutely fine!" She must take pleasure in rubbing in her superior capabilities, from alcohol resistance to this. It must be a sibling thing.

Lilly's expression is a bit sullen. "That's not fair…"

"Ha ha, ah well. It shouldn't take too long for you to recover."

"Ah! That's right, Hisao?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't we have a holiday from school soon?"

"I'd have forgotten if Hanako hadn't reminded me yesterday morning. We've got a three day weekend starting tomorrow."

Akira playfully bumps Lilly in the side. "Told ya you wouldn't miss it."

I look to Lilly and raise an eyebrow before realizing the gesture would be lost on her. "You have something planned?"

"If neither you nor Hanako are busy…"

"I've got no plans to speak of. Hanako?" I never did ask if she was planning on doing something when she asked me.

"No, nothing."

Lilly's expression brightens even more. "That's good. I was thinking we could go to my family's summerhouse for a bit of quiet over the break. We've rarely used it though, so we'd have to dust things off a little while we're there."

"Oh?" My interest is piqued. "Where is it?"

Akira replies, "Up north in Hokkaido. The place is practically deserted, so it should be a nice quiet break for you guys."

I'm a little surprised. "You're not coming?"

"Nah. I got a little holiday of my own with my boyfriend."

I lower my eyes at her; something smells fishy. "It sounds like we're just cleaning up the summerhouse for you."

"That's… perhaps a valid conclusion…" Lilly adds, not very happy at that notion.

As both of us zero in on Akira, her face turns somewhat evasive. Looks like we were right.

Akira puts on her best innocent face. "That's just a convenient bonus. Really. Me and the guy left it in pretty good condition last we were there, I promise." Lilly and I continue to stare her down, but she doesn't falter. "Now then, I'm outta here."

Lilly's face suddenly softens. "Already? Akira…"

"Sorry, but I need to get right back to work. No rest for the weary, huh?"

"W-wait!" Hanako interjects just before Akira is about to turn away. Hanako glances at me and, knowing exactly what she means, I nod. "While you two were away, Hisao and I…" Hanako begins to blush and she takes my hand in hers once again. "We… we confessed to each other."

A look of surprise briefly appears on Lilly's face before we're given the most brilliant smile I've ever seen her give. "Hanako… Hisao… . I'm so happy. I am so truly happy. To be honest, I came to realize that you both had feelings for each other a while ago. I was worried that you two wouldn't realize that yourselves, but you have and that's all that matters. I'm so glad that you two have found each other."

Akira is smiling from ear to ear. "Well, Lilly just stole the words right out of my mouth and then some! Congratulations you two!"

Hanako and I both let out a sigh of relief. I didn't know how either Akira or Lilly would take this news, not that I was expecting either to really object. It just… felt good to hear their approval of our relationship.

"T-thank you," Hanako says, wearing a warm smile.

"Yes, thank you both," I add, expressing my gratitude.

Akira waves a hand off to the side in a dismissive gesture. "Hey, no need. It's not like we could do much if we had a problem with you two. Besides, you two are so cute together." She takes a glance at her watch. "Sorry to cut things short, but I seriously have to get going. See ya!" She quickly turns and walks away, hand held high. "See you in a few days, guys!"

Lilly can only sigh at her sister's hasty retreat.

"Hokkaido does seem like it would be a nice place to go," Hanako quickly says to change the subject away from Akira.

Lilly gives an enthusiastic nod, taking her carry bag in one hand and extending her cane to use with the other for guidance as we make our way back to the taxi area. "When we get back," she speaks up, "you two will have to fill me in on what I missed out on while I was away."

"Sounds like I plan," I reply.

After the events of the last few days, spending a weekend alone in the country alone with my girlfriend and our best friend sounds like a dream. The more I think about it, the more sure I am. This will be a magnificent time for us to all wind down and for Hanako and I to begin taking our first steps forward in our relationship.

* * *

**X**

* * *

**[A/N]:**

**I just remembered Molly's appearance was just a cameo and not actually part of the Katawa Shoujo continuity. Not that that matters too much. I like the secondary characters of KS.**

**Hope you enjoyed!**


	3. Chapter 3

**[A/N]: I must apologize whole-heartedly for the very long delay in uploading this chapter. I'm doing way too many things right now between school, sports, writing, arranging music (almost done with an Orchestral medley of "Romance in Andante" and "Parity"), and other personal projects. Trying to do all of that ends up with me getting little done for each thing, admittedly. I'll try to be more productive with writing so as to be more punctual in my updates. Fortunately, I think I have gotten into the swing of things again so while updates may not come too often, they will certainly come more often than this.**

**Anyways, I hope you enjoy the third chapter of **_**Continuity**_**.**

* * *

**X**

* * *

I am awoken from my peaceful slumber by a few light knocks on my door. Ugh. Who the heck would be knocking on my door at this hour? As I began to deliberate whether to answer or not, my alarm goes off. Then realization hits me.

Lilly, Hanako, and I are leaving for Hokkaido today.

I hate being woken up so early in the morning, but the reason for it is well worth it. With a tired groan, I force myself out of bed and stumble over to the door. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I open the door and am greeted by the sight of Hanako.

"Good morning, Hisao," she says. Seeing that she is fully dressed and carrying a rather large bag, I guess that she's all ready to go.

"Morning," I return groggily. "Coming to make sure I didn't forget to wake up?"

Hanako shakes her head. "I knew you would remember. I just want to make sure you pack everything you need."

"Well, there isn't too much I need, right? Just uh…" Come on brain, wake up. "Underwear, cards, my pills… and that's all I really need, I think." I can just wear my clothes for the few days we're up there, and I don't want to carry anything I don't have to. Actually, looking like a slob would be unacceptable in the presence of two girls. "And a change of clothes," I amend, taking a glance at her bag again. "Just what did you pack in that huge bag anyways?"

"My bag…? Hmm…" Hanako pauses a moment and tilts her head in thought. "A change of clothes, underwear, sleepwear, a raincoat, books, toiletries, a bottle of water… I-I think that's most of it."

Oh. Well, I was definitely lacking in a few things. "Right. I uh, forgot about a few of those things," I admit sheepishly. "I should get my things together and change."

"Okay," she replies, nodding.

I give her a smile and close the door, proceeding to thrown on my usual outfit far quicker than I ever remember doing. I don't want to keep Hanako and Lilly waiting after all. I quickly begin to assemble a similar inventory of items and stuff them into my bag as I find them. Underwear… clothes… toothbrush… cards… sleepwear… books… raincoat. I think that's essentially everything Hanako has as well.

I open the door once again and heave the strap of the bag over my shoulder. "Ready."

"Are you sure you have everything?" Hanako asks.

"Yep," I say nodding as I take a step outside.

"Including your… pills…?" She almost whispers the last word. I guess she must think that that is still a touchy subject for me. Well, it kind of is, but not if it's with her.

"Yeah I have my…" My palm meets my face. "I totally forgot about them while getting everything else together. Gah, I'm so lame." I reenter my room, snatch up my pills, stuff them into my bag, and exit my room once more. "Sorry about that. _Now _I have everything."

She shakes her head. "No worries. I'm just glad I can help. Shall we be off?"

I nod my head. "Yep. And Hanako?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks for looking out for me."

* * *

The morning chill barely fazes me as we mill about on the station platform; with Hanako's hand in mine, I feel surprisingly warm. While I am thankful for our physical contact keeping us warm, I can't help but notice that Lilly's clothing looks rather ill-suited for the temperature around us. I can only hope it is indicative of what she expects the weather is like at our destination. I quickly move my free right hand to cover my mouth as I let out a yawn.

"Tired, Hisao?" Lilly asks. She looks as awake as ever, no doubt eager to be off to her family's summerhouse.

"Considering this was the earliest I've woken up since coming to Yamaku, yep, I'm pretty dang tired. But we do have a train to catch after all." Yesterday, Hanako had suggested we take a normal train to Hokkaido. Lilly was all for it, apparently finding a charm to older trains. While I would have preferred to take the bullet train straight there, I couldn't exactly object at that point. Besides, I'd more than likely enjoy myself either way since I'm with my best friend and girlfriend. "I'm surprised _you're _not tired, especially since you're not a morning person. Are you finally turning?"

"I don't think I'll ever become a morning person," Lilly replies, smiling, "but the thought of going to Hokkaido again is enough to make me into one at least for today."

The loudspeakers suddenly blare to life, loudly heralding our train's arrival. As Hanako and I look to the direction the train will come from, however, the train is still well out of sight. A quick glance at my watch confirms that it is the one we will be taking. Still, I just want to be sure this is the case. "The five-thirty train is ours, right?" I ask Hanako.

"Yes."

"Either of you want me to take your bags?"

Hanako smiled. "S-sure."

"My my, that's very gentlemanly of you, Hisao," Lilly responds as I bend down to pick up Hanako's large bag. "However, I think I should be fine with my own. Ah, I can hear the train."

Both Hanako and I turn once again in the direction the train will be coming from and sure enough, there's the train making its way into view.

* * *

With the morning landscape passing by the window and the occasional rattle of the train bumping the carriage around, I try to focus my attention back to the aging playing cards in my hand. I take a quick sideways glance at Hanako who is sitting on my left. I don't have a good hand at all, but she doesn't know that, and I'm feeling a bit ambitious. I think I'm going try and bluff my way to victory on this one. "I'll raise you five." Our piles of chess pieces we are using for chips are pretty even, though I am a head by a mere few pieces. I suppose that one way to quickly swing the tides of this game in my favor is to play boldly.

"Hmm…" Hanako hums as she turns to her right to gaze at my face. As I keep the best poker face I can, it dawns on me that maybe this wasn't the best idea. Hanako is very perceptive and we know each other better than every before now so I doubt she will have much trouble seeing through my bluff… "I'll see you and raise you another five." Said with complete confidence too.

"Damn, you got me. I fold." Hanging my head, I push over a large portion of my winnings. This is Hanako's first time playing poker but she has certainly picked up on it fast. A delighted smile blooms on Hanako's face and I'm torn between feeling happy at the sight and feeling down that I just lost a huge portion of my pieces. Even if Lilly's attention is focused on her book I can see the pleased smirk on her face.

My gaze shifts down to the cover of Lilly's book and I try to no avail to make out the title. The cover is too faded to tell anything beyond that the cover has Roman characters on it and as for the visible braille, well, a pity that I can't read it. "What are you reading there Lilly," I ask, curiosity getting the better of me. "The title looks like it is in English."

"That's right. It is _And Then There Were None_, an old British story. If you'd like, I could read it to you." She gives the offer with a grin, obviously in jest.

"I think I'll pass, thanks." With that, I focus back on the poker game. Hopefully I'll be able to make a come back.

* * *

Over the course of the seemingly endless train ride, I had somehow gotten good hand after good hand and won the poker game. After playing a few more games with the cards, such as Old Maid and Cheat, we moved onto chess and promptly got stomped. I won one game out of six, not a good day for me. Lilly joined us when we moved onto word games, riddles, and other word games.

The walk over to the promised land of the Satou summerhouse seemed to take forever as well, even after the train ride. Grumblings aside, I never would have guessed the sight that would be in store for us once we traveled that long, deserted road. It looks more like a farmhouse than the normal, everyday house I had imagined, small in size and surrounded by trees and bushes. A vast, empty expanse of wheat fields and farm land can be seen as we walk up to the house, the fencing consisting only of old, rickety wooden planks. It really drives home how far removed we are from major cities, and it is a sight that feels antithetical to the environment I grew up in. The only thing that doesn't surprise me is its western style.

I gaze once more at the land around me and I am in awe now that I really pay attention to it. "Wow, it's amazing out here."

Hanako nods in agreement. "It's wonderful."

"I'm glad you two find it so. While Akira said that she'd kept the house in reasonable condition, I'm a bit worried that we have different standards of 'reasonable.'"

"Hmm… it looks like there isn't another soul for miles," I reply. "I would've thought Akira is the type to keep to the city."

Lilly furrows her brow in thought, as if she is recalling some forgotten knowledge. "Well, there is a small town in memory serves me right. Other than that however, this is largely just old farm land." She pauses for a moment as she gives the matter more thought. "Akira and I stayed in our parents' house for a while. It was in the nearest city, but after they left we decided to move into a smaller, more easily maintainable house."

"To find a place like this," Hanako speaks up, "it's… it's a bit anachronistic, but in a good way."

"Well, this town does have quite a bit of history indeed."

I take one last look down the old road before focusing back on the task at hand. "Shall we go in, then? I'm parched." The long walk sure made me work up a sweat, especially with the added burden of a bag. It still depresses me at times just how out of shape I am.

"It was certainly a long walk to get here," Hanako adds, as if reading my thoughts.

Lilly gives an enthusiastic nod and the three of us lug our bags into the house. As soon as we step foot inside, Hanako and I begin to look around, taking in every detail of where we'll be staying for the next few days. Between the pans in the adjoining kitchen still sitting on the stove and the television guide lying beside the counter it was on, it felt as if another's life had suddenly stopped mid-motion. It's a rather strange feeling really, as if we were stepping into Akira's life for but a brief moment. Mundane reality comes back to my mind and of course it is that Akira simply hadn't cleaned up after herself all that well. Or as Lilly put it, had "different standards of reasonable."

Not wanting to add to clutter I ask, "Where should we put our bags?"

"I'll show you two your bedroom. You both can put your bags in there if you'd like."

Hanako's eyes widen. "O-our bedroom?" she asks. "T-there's only one bedroom?"

Wait, what? "You mean… we're sharing a bedroom?"

"There is only one bedroom and I don't think it would be very good form to arbitrarily delegate the convertible futon to either of you considering you both are my guests."

If I didn't know better, I would've been fooled by the seemingly innocuous smile she gives us. In fact, her smile betrays a hint of mischief. She knows exactly what she's doing and her lame excuse isn't going to fool either of us one bit. "Lilly…"

"Yes, Hisao?" she replies innocently. "Is there a problem?"

"It's okay," Hanako speaks up before I can continue. "Hisao and I, w-we're a couple so… I-I don't mind sleeping with him."

My jaw drops slightly as blood rushes to my cheeks and Lilly takes her cheek in her hand.

"Oh my, how bold," Lilly says after a moment of silence.

"Hmm?" Hanako glances between Lilly and I a few times before realizing what she had said, flowering into a full blush. "I-I didn't mean it like that! I mean I don't mind happening to sleep in the same bed together!"

Lilly utters an amused giggle. "Well Hisao, do you have any objections?"

"N-no," I stammer, still recovering from Hanako's accidental innuendo and Lilly's jest. Even if I had any objections, I don't think it would be very appropriate to voice them now. I'm sure I would enjoy Hanako's company anyways and besides, there's nothing particularly odd about a couple sharing the same bed right? I catch Hanako's gaze and give her a smile, which she returns in kind.

"Shall I present to you your room then?"

"Sure."

And so begins our tour of the house. The bedroom is rather small, but certainly larger than Yamaku's dorms. There are a few pieces of old-fashioned wooden furniture in the room, including a dresser and two small tables on either side of the queen sized bed. Compared to the dorms, this is like a luxury hotel. Hanako and I deposit our bags at the base of the bed and we follow Lilly out of the room and to the kitchen. Just like the living room, it is fairly modest. The rustic nature of the wooden furnishings really drive home just how far from civilization we are. With the tour over, I almost flop rather than sit down on the couch from exhaustion. It really just hits me now just how tired I am.

"Tired?" Hanako asks.

"Yeah. That walk really took a lot out of me." I take a glance at the television. "I think I'm going to relax and watch some TV. Just for a little bit that is, so I can get some energy back."

"Okay."

"Shall we unpack our bags in the meantime?" Lilly suggests.

"Sure. Hisao?"

"Yes?"

"Should I unpack your bag too?"

I shake my head. "No need. I'll get that done once I have recovered some energy."

With a nod of her head, Hanako follows Lilly back into the bedroom.

With a touch of the remote, the old television immediately flickers to life, apparently set to a news channel. I lie back in the couch and begin to watch, flipping through channel after channel. Flipping through channels… and watching.

And watching.

And watching…

* * *

"Hisao…?"

Huh? That's Hanako's voice… wait, Hanako? My eyes shoot open and I quickly blink a few times as I get my bearings. I glance out the window and—crap, I fell asleep! It's already dark out! Looking to the wall-mounted clock, it's already almost ten. "Uh, hey," I return rather sheepishly.

"You've found the television, then," Lilly says.

"Yeah," I reply as casual as I can. "It really does feel nice and homey here."

"I'm glad you like it." She puts her hand to her mouth as she giggles. "You were already out like a light when we came back after unpacking out things, and we didn't have the heart to wake you sooner." Judging by that reaction, I must sound funny when I sleep. Oh gosh. I don't think I want to inquire.

"There's some dinner waiting for you in the kitchen," Hanako informs me with a smile. Just as she finishes her statement, she yawns deeply, only remembering to cover her mouth at the last moment.

"My my, are you tired?"

"Ah, yes. I didn't get too much sleep last night."

"I'm pretty tired too," I add. Despite having just taken a long nap, I still feel worn out. I guess it's a good thing considering it's already pretty late now. "It was a long walk to get up here, and it's getting late."

"If that's the case, I suppose we should retire for the night."

"I agree." I push myself up from the couch and step beside Hanako. "Ah, that's right, I should eat my dinner. I'll, uh, come to bed in a little bit, Hanako." I can't help but feel a little awkward as those words leave my mouth.

"O-okay," Hanako says, blushing a bit.

I don't feel that our relationship is yet on the level where we would feel too comfortable sleeping in the same bed, despite all that has happened. I mean, really, we've been a couple for all of what? Four days? Still, I don't think I would mind doing so. In fact, I would certainly enjoy Hanako's presence and I'm sure Hanako would enjoy mine. Perhaps it's just the thought itself that is a little awkward.

"Goodnight, Hisao, Lilly," Hanako says.

I give the two girls a smile. "Night you two."

"Goodnight," Lilly returns to both of us.

With that, Hanako walks into our bedroom and Lilly begins to quietly convert the couch into a bed. I head into the kitchen and begin to silently eat my dinner. The simple meal has gone cold by now, but it's not bad nonetheless; it's still rather flavorful. It doesn't taste much like Hanako's cooking, so maybe it's Lilly's? If so, I didn't know Lilly knew how to cook. I'll have to ask her about it later.

"How is the meal?" a familiar voice softly speaks.

I turn to face the voice and find Lilly walking out of the bathroom, clad in her iconic navy blue pajamas. "I can't complain; it pretty tasty. I noticed it doesn't really have the same style of taste as Hanako's usual cooking."

Lilly chuckles, easily picking up on what I want to ask. "After all, I am the one who prepared the meal."

"I never knew you knew how to cook." Well, I guess this is later, then.

The girl gives a weak smile. "Akira was always busy with work so I had to learn how to cook for the both of us. At least now she can cook without blowing herself up. Mostly. It was probably for the best that I learned how to cook anyways as it's a very important skill after all."

"Indeed it is. I'm glad I learned how to cook as well."

A look of mild surprise appears on Lilly's face. "Oh? It looks like I'll have to try your cuisine one day."

"Er, I only really learned just enough to get by, nothing too fancy. My parents worked a lot and I got tired of eating the same old things over and over again."

With the conversation's topic dried up, I proceed to eat at my meal again.

"Ah, that's right," Lilly speaks up again after a moment. "While I did get most of the story about what happened while I was away, I never did find out what exactly happened between you and Hanako that finally brought both of your feelings to light. Sorry if I sound a little nosy, I'm just curious about you two."

What happened between us? It is certainly not something one would call a good thing, and it's still a somewhat sensitive subject in some regards. I'm not sure if it's my place to explain alone, though I don't want to leave her hanging either. "I think I would need to talk to Hanako first before I can give any details. However, I will say that our relationship fell apart, no, more like shattered into a million shards before we managed to piece it back together."

"I… I understand."

"But perhaps it was for the best," I continue. "We both came out stronger and more mature than before, and we expressed our feelings for each other." I scoop one last mouthful of food into my mouth and put my empty plate in the sink. "All that matters is that all is well now."

"Indeed." Lilly barely manages to cover her mouth in time as she yawns. "I think it's time to retire to bed officially now."

"I agree. Night Lilly, this time for sure."

"Goodnight, Hisao."

After those parting words, Lilly slips into her bed and I enter as quietly as possible into bedroom as possible. The room is lit only by the light of the moon and stars that bleeds through the windows of the room, making it just possible to navigate the room without hitting anything. I can also just make out Hanako's figure on the left side of the bed as she shifts around to face me.

"Hisao?"

"Hey, Hanako."

"Are you… coming to bed?"

"Yeah. I just need to get changed really quick. So, um… I'll go do that." I open my bag, which I still need to unpack, and pull out my pajamas. I somewhat uncomfortably change into my sleepwear, trying to block Hanako out of my mind for the moment. I guess I'm still a little self conscious of my body. If it weren't so dark that only silhouettes of objects could be made out, I would not have changed in the room.

I gently climb into the bed and slip under the covers and—oh my gosh, this bed is so comfortable. The beds at Yamaku are pretty good, but they're nothing like this. Hanako shifts closer to me, and our hands find each other.

She gives a tired but warm smile, snuggling her head into my shoulder. "Goodnight, Hisao," she whispers.

"Goodnight, Hanako."

I close my eyes, enjoying the warmth and comfort of Hanako's presence. It's not long before I drift into a peaceful slumber…

* * *

**X**

* * *

**[A/N]: While writing this, I had a random idea that I'm probably never going to write. The general premise is that Shizune and Lilly get locked in the sports shed. Alone. Shizune investigates the sports shed as there are rumors that certain, er, **_**unscrupulous **_**activities are taking place in there. Lilly, having to retrieve something for her class from the shed, also heads into the shed. A random person, probably Emi, sees that the door is open and closes and locks it. Cue hilarity as the two try to figure out what to do. Oh, and I feel terrible about the title, but here it and the description is. TITLE: **_**Oh Say Can You See?**_** DESCRIPTION: By the dawn's early light, Shizune and Lilly are locked in the sports shed. They soon learn what to do when life gives them lemons.**

**I don't know, just a random idea. I'll write down the general plot line somewhere later…**

**If anything, fact wise, is inconsistent with canon (such as I don't remember if it is ever mentioned in Hanako's route that Lilly knows how to cook), I'd appreciate it being pointed out so I can revise things to be consistant.**

**Thank you for reading!**


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